Snow-removing mechanism



Nov. 17, 19254 1,562,180

' V. P. MILLER SNOW REMOVING MEGHANI S M Filed Jan. 2.0. 1921 '4 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 W x, P/wzze, i

Nov. 17, 1925.

V. P. MILLER SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nd'v; 17, 1925.

v. P. MILLER SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM 5 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 20, 1921 immmm I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ @m liHiEU EM liEMEQE Nov. 17, 1925- V. P. MILLER snow REMOVING MECHANISM Fild Jan. 20, 1921 5 Shets-Sheet' 4 Nov. 17, 1925. 7 1,562,180

V. P. MILLER SNOW REMOVING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 20, '1921- 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented N ov.' l7,- 19 25.

'1 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

' vAiv 1".MILLER, or o rcAoo HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS.

' SNOW-REMOVING ndfinmsm.

Application filed January 20,1921. Serial no. 438,588.

and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings,

and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a snowremovlng mechanism, and particularly to a snow removing mechanism which is adapted to be removably mounted on an ordinary motor truck chassis to be advanced over the highways and to remove the snow therefrom to a place where the same will not impede the progress of.veh1cles thereover. Devices of this kind are comin to be especially desirable on account oi: the increased volume of motor vehicle transportation, and in order to attain the, most efiicient results from this method of transportation it is necessary that it be possible to operate the motor vehicles during the entire year.

liVhile it is possible to removesnowfrom the streetv and highways by manual means or by ordinary snow plows, these processes are slow and expensive and are not practicable in the case of country roads or trunk-line highways.

It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a snow, removing mechanism which is adapted to be mounted. on a motor vehicle and advanced thereby over streets or highways to remove the snow therefrom.

It is also'an object of'this invention to provide a motor'driven" snow removing de-' ,vice wherein screw conveyors rotating at a relatively high speed cut the snow and-convey the same to a secondary conveyor system. Y

It is a further'object of this invention to provide a motor driven 'snow removing mechanism adapted to be removably mounted on a motor vehicle and having means for conveying the removed snow to the'rear of the vehicle and subsequently selectively conveying the same to one side or the otherof the vehicle.

It is-another object of this invention to I provide a snow removing mechanism adapted 'to be mounted on a. motor vehicle and having pivoted snow dividingmeans directable by the driverof the, motor vehicle from f normal driving position.-

'It is still another object of this invention to providea snow removing. mechanism having snow cutting and conveying means pivotally mounted on. the front of a motor vehicle and having means operable from the vehicle whereby said vpivotally mounted means may be moved into inoperative'position.

tion to provide a portable snow removing mechanism wherein primary snow cutting and conveying means are rotated at a relatively highsp'eed.

invention to provide an eflicient sn'ow removing mechanism wh ch 1s adapted to be removably mounted on a motor truck chassis without modification thereof.

Other. and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the Specification and the drawings. f

The invention (in a preferred form) is shown on the drawings and hereinafter more fully descr ibed.

On the drawings Figure .1 is a top plan view of a motor truck equippedwith theimproved sno-w removing inechanism'of this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure '3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the primary snow-cutting and conveying mechanism.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary secdtion' on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5 of Figure 2, with parts omitted. .Figure 6 is an enlargedsectional detail showing the hinged conveyor chuteconn'cction.

Figure-7 is a fragmentary section on the line 7- 7 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 isan enlarged detail elevation of the conveyor reversing mechanism.

Fi ure '10 is va section on the line 10-10 of Flgure 3;

' It is an important objectof this inven- It is finally an important object of this Figure 11 is a section on the line 1111 of Figure 3.

Figure 12 is an enlarged detail elevation of the reversible conveyor mechanism.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary detail of the directing mechanism. s

Figure 14 is a fragmentary detail of one of the conveyor blades.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary detail of one of the main bearings.

As shown on the drawings:

The improved snow removing mechanism of this invention is adapted to be mounted on an ordinary motor truck, which is conventionally shown in Figures 1 and 2, and this mechanism is preferably supported on a frame comprising transverse members 1 and2 and longitudinal members 3 and 4,

said transverse members -1 and 2 being secured to the frame 5 of the-truck in rear of the cab 6 thereon by chaining, bolting, clamping or in any other suitable manner. Connecting the longitudinal members 3 and 4 in front of the engine 7 of the truck isa transverse shaft 8, which is rotatable in bearings 9 and 10 bolted to the forward end of said longitudinal members 3 and 4. Mounted on said shaft 8, outside the'bea'rings 9 and 10, are sleeves 11 and 12 ,respectively, while sleeves 13 and 14 mounted on said shaft inside the bearings 9 and 10 act together with said sleeves 11 and 12 to rotatably support the primary snow cutting and conveying mechanism which will now be described.

Said mechanism comprises a pair of scoops or troughs 15 and 16, the form of which is clearly shown'in Figure 11, and which are supported from the sleeves 11 and 13 and 12 and 14 respectively by means of extension plates 17 and 18 and 19 and 20 formed on said sleeves. In order to facilitate the progress of said scoops or troughs 15 and 16 over the surface of the ground, and to prevent the same from unduly wearing they are preferably provided with a series of parallel ribs or shoes 21 which are formed integrally on the bottom portion thereof as clearly shown in Figures 4 and v 11. To aid in guiding the truck through the snow and in guiding the snow into the troughs or scoops, dividing or guiding members 22, 23, and 24 are mounted on and turn with vertical shafts 25, 26 and 27 at the outer endsof the plates 17 and 20, and be- .tween the outer ends of the plates 18 and 19,

-' and said guiding members are adapted to be rotated about said shafts to aid in guiding the truck and the mechanism supported thereon in a manner which will now be described.

Supported on the upper and outer ends of the plates '17, 18, 19 and 20 are forked bearings 28, 29 and 30, in which a shaft 31 is rotatably mounted, and mounted on said shaft 31 between the" forks of said bearings are worms 32, 33 and 34, which respectively therof. For this purpose a bevel gear 38 is keyed on said shaft 31, and .engaging said bevel gear 38- is a similar bevel gear 39 which is secured to a shaft 40 journalled in a forked bearing 41 which is supported on the shaft 31. Said shaft 40 extends rearwardly to a position adjacent one side of the cab 6 and a crank 42 is-provided on the end thereof, as clearly shown in Figure 2, so that the shaft may be rotated by the driver of=the truck from his position in said cab.

A set collar 43 is clamped to the shaft 31 to bear against. the bearing 41 to hold the bevel gears 38 and 39 in proper engagement.

J ournalled substantially centrally of the plates '17, 18, 19 and 20, and extending longitudinally of the troughs or scoops 15 and 16, is a shaft 44 which has mounted thereon,

extending outwardly from the plates 18 and 19, cutaway screw conve ors 45 and 46, which are actuated by the s aft 44 to .cut the snow and ,conveythe same away from the plates 18 and 19 towardthe outer ends of the scoops or troughs 15 and 16 respectively where the same is engaged by a series of curved paddles or blades 47' and 48, also mounted on and rotatable with the shaft 44, and which act to throw the snow outwardly -through openings 49 in the ends of the troughs or scoops 15 and 16 into inclined conveyor troughs 50 and 51 communicating with said openings.

The shaft 44 is driven from the shaft 8 by means of a sprocket chain 52 extending between the plates 18 and 19 and engaged.

over sprockets 53 and 54 secured on said shaft between the plates 18 and 19 and the sleeves 13 and 14 respectively. Means are provided for manually rotating the sleeves 11 and 12 about the shaft 8 to lift the troughs and 16 and the mechanism supported therein out of operating position when the truck is being driven over surfaces where there is no snow. F or'this purpose a worm gear 55 is secured to each of said sleeves 11 and 12 adjacent the inner side of the plates 17 and 20, and said worm gears are engaged by worms 56 and 57, which are mounted on shafts 58 and 59 journalled in bearings 60 and 61, which are supported on the shaft 8. Consequently rotation of said shafts 58 and 59 will actto rotate the sleeves l1 and 12 about the shaft 8 and lift the troughs 15 and 16 and the mechanism supported therein out of operative position,

and in order to facilitate the rotation of said shafts by the driver of the truck, the inner ends of the same are each provided with a crank 62, as clearly shown in F igure 2.

The source of power for driving the various mechanisms preferably comprises an internal combustion engine 63 which is mounted on the auxiliary frame at the rear thereof and which drives a transverse shaft 64 having sprocket wheels 65 and 66, 67 and 68, mounted on the outer ends thereof outside the conveyor chutes or troughs 50 and 51. Sprocket chains 70 and 71 engaged over the sprockets 66 and 67 and over sprockets 72 and 73 on the outer ends of said shaft 8 transmit the power to said shaft to rotate the same, whereby the shaft 44 is rotated by the chain 52 at a relatively high speed and a consequent rotation ;of the screw conveyor cutters 45 and 46 and the curved blade snow removers 47 and 48 is effected.

The conveyor chutes or troughs 50 and 51 extend upwardly and rearwardly from the openings 49 in which they are removably engaged, and the rear ends thereof are supported on a frame 74, which is mounted on the longitudinal members 3 and 4 in rear of the engine 63.

Said chutes 50 and 51 are preferably made in two sections which are connected by hinged connections 75, and a transverse support 76, which is secured to the longitudinal members 3 and 4, affords additional supporting means therefor directly in rear of said hinged connection. In order to facilitate the discharge of the snow from the upper ends of said chutes 50 and 51, said ends'are ordinarily curved and bent slightly downwardly, as shown at 77 in Figure 8. J ournalled transversely in the upper ends of said chutes 50 and 51 are shafts 78 and 79, and mounted on the outer ends of shafts outside the chute are sprockets 80 and 81, while sprocket chains 82 and 3 engaged over sald sprockets and over t sprockets 65 and 68 on the shaft 34 act to transmit the drive from said shaft64 to the shafts 78 and 79. J ournalled transversely in the lower ends of said chutes 50 and 51 are shafts 84 and 85 respectively, and mounted on each of said shafts adjacent the inside of the walls of saidv chutes are sprockets 86 and 87 and similar sprockets mounted inside the chutes at the upper ends thereof on the shafts 78 and 79 act to support and drive sprocket chains 89 and 90 engaged thereover. Said driving chain provides means for supporting and advancing conveyor boards or paddles 91, which act to engage the snow as it leaves the curved blades 48 and advance the same upwardly through the chutes 50 and 51, whence it is discharged from thec'urved end 77 thereof.

Means are also provided for selectively conveying the snow discharged from the upper end 77 of the chutes 50 and 51 to either side of the truck or other vehicle on which the mechanism of this invention is mounted and depositing the same by the side of the highway over which said vehicle is traveling. For the purpose an auxiliary vertical frame 92 is provided and said frame is preferably supported on the frame members 4 in rear of the frame 74. Supported on said upright frame 92, is a transverse trough 93 similar to the chutes 50 and 51 and adapted to receive snow discharged from the upper end of said chutes. Said trough 93 is provided with downwardly curved ends 94 extending outwardly beyond the outer edges of the chutes 50 and 51, and from said downwardly curved ends the snow is discharged atthe side of the highway or into a receiving vehicle. Journalled transversely of each end of the trough 93 is a shaft 95, and also journalled transversely 4 of the trough intermediate said shafts 95 is a similar shaft 96. Sprocket wheels 97 mounted on said shafts 95 and 96 adjacent the inside of the walls of the trough 93 act to support and drive a chain conveyor similar to the conveyors mounted in the chutes 50 and 51. Said conveyor 98 is driven from the shaft 96, and mounted on said shaft '96, outside"the trough 93, are a pair of sprockets 99 and 100, which drive sprocket chains 101 and 102 engaged thereover and over sprockets 103 and 104 mounted on the ends ofthe shaft 95. Power is trans mitted to the shaft 96 through a bevel gear 105 mounted on the outer end thereof and engaged by a similar bevel gear 106 mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 107, said vertical shaft-107 and the shaft 96 being supported in proper position .by means of a bracket 108, as clearly shown in Figure 8. Said vertical shaft 107 receives power from the driving shaft 64 through a suitable reversing mechanism comprising a bevel gear 109 mounted on the lower end of the vertical shaft 107, and similar bevel gears 110 and 111, which engage said gear 109 and are adapted to be selectively driven from the shaft 64 by means of a slidable clutch 112. I

The above described reversing mechanism is conveniently supported in a bracket 113,

as clearly shown in Figure 9, and the clutch 112 may be moved into .the desired selective position by means of a lever 114. i

The operation is as follows The improved snow removing mechanism of this invention is adapted to be removably;

mounted on the frame of an automotive vehicle, preferably a motor truck of a well known type, and in securing the same in position on the truck the transverse members 1 and 2 may be bolted, clamped, chained or'secured in any suitable manner to the I longitudinal framemembers 50f; the

, nism at one end of the truck and the motor mechanism ;throughythe lever q v v, The'provisio'n of the adjustable dividing or guiding blades 22, 23 "and 24*makes fpos- The provision of the snow removing mama;

driving mechanism therefor atthe 'opposite end affords a well balanced arrangement which properly'distributes the loadon' the truck. Since the screw conveyors l5 andv 46 .are rotated ata relatively'high rate of speed, the same rapidly cut awayithefsnpwf and convey the same outwardly to'the rotating curved blades 48, whichact to throw the snow upwardly from the troughslfi fandgle into the chutes 50 and 51 'ores'p'eetively, whence the same is conveyed by the paddles 91 upwardly throughsaid chutes and depositedinthe transverseftrough 93, wherethe convoyer =9 .iconveys "s or the other'of the rack,

'- direction of ,imovem ame to one side v off said conveyor, which may: 'beleontrolled by the reverse sible the easy control of'the truck in the snow since it "is possible for the driverof the truck to turn'the same to point 'inthe desired direction by rotating the shaft through the crank 42 thereon.

It is also possible byrotating the shaft 59 by means of the cranks 62 to raise the entire front portion of the snow removing mechanism upwardly away from the ground and thus the truck is enabled to move rapidly over surfaces where there is no snow;-

'- v" The reversible conveyor 98 affords means whereby the snow removed from the highway may be deposited at the side of 'the same, irrespective of the'dir'e ction in which receptacles which may be moved along with the truck is travelin and said transverse conveyor also prov1 es a convenient ar-' rangement whereby the removed snowmay be deposited into dump wagons or other the truck and the snow removing mechanism. 1 J

' Since the mechanism-ofthis" invention is readily attachable to standard type trucks,

the provision of the same makespossible the utilization. oftrucks owned by highway departments and other municipal organizations for the purpose of removing snow the winter time where they have heretofore often stood idle. On account of the convenient, economical and rapid snow'removing mechanism whlch 1s hereln provlded, it

is possible to rapidly remove snow.from country roads and highways many miles in length and by the use of the same, said roads and highways are made adaptable fortravel throughout the year. 7,

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied-through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted I ends th depending on the y otherwise 'than necessitated vby the prior art; Q

Iclaim as my invention: 1.' The combination with an automotive vehicle, ofa mechanism-for removing snow from highways .remoyably mounted thereon, mechani's mi comprising 'guidable snow engaging means at the front of the "vehicleia convey ng :IIlGChflIllSHl therefrom tionedi'meansd emoving mechanism, a 'an's c'omprlslng a rotand' conveyor, and rotay lf i .In a snow removing mechanism, fmeans .to engage and receive snow, ad ustab1e gu1d-' -ing means therefor, and vconveying means M, coaxial'therewith. adaptd o.ree e,the snow from said screw'coufor discharging the snow at a'di'stance from said engaging means. a

- 5. a snow removingmechanism', means to engage and re'celve snow, guiding-means .plvoted on said receiving means, a mecha- .1

msm for operating said guiding means, and conveying means for discharging the snow at a point removed from said engaging means. I

e. The combination with an automotive vehicle, of azmechanis'nI-for removing snow from highways .mounted thereon, said mechanism '-c0mpr1s1ng snow engaging screws pivotally mountedat the front of the vehicle, and snow discharging means at the rear of the .vehicle' i 7. The combination with a motor truck 3 of a frame removably secured thereon, snow engaging means secured'to the'front of said frame, and conve ing mechanisms disposed along the sideso said frame. Y

8. In a snow removingattachment for vehicles, a frame {adapted tof be removably secured to said vehicle,,- ,snow .cuttingand conveying mechanisms hingedly supported aeross-the front ofsaid' frame, and conveying'means longitudinally disposed on the sides'of the frame adapted to discharge the ,snow rearwa'rdly. 1 4

9. In a snow removing attachment for vehicles,'a -frame adapted to be removably secured to said vehicle, snow cutting and transverse conveying mechanisms hi'ngedly supported across the front of said frame,

conveying means longitudinallydisposedon the frame adapted todischarge the snow veyor mechanism adapted to receive the "rearwardly, andra reversible transverse consnow from the said'conveying means and 10. Ina snow removing attachment for vehicles, a frame adapted to be removably secured to saidvehicle, snow cutting and conveying mechanisms hingedly supported across the front of said frame, vertically disposed guiding means attached to said cutting mechanisms, and conveying means longitudinallydisposed on the frame adapted to discharge the snow rearwardly.

11. In a snow removing attachment for vehicles, a frame adapted to be removably secured to saidvehicle, snow cutting and .conveying ,m'echanisms hingedly supported across the front of said frame, curved paddlescoaxial with saidcutting mechanisms, and conveying means longitudinally disposed on the frame adapted to discharge the snow rearwardly.

12. A frame adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle, a trough mounted across the front of the frame, a pair of cutaway screw'conveyors rotatably mounted in said trough, paddles mounted coaxially with said conveyors, conveyors mounted on the sides of said frame adapted to receive material ejected from said trough by said paddles, and to discharge said material towards the rear of the vehicle.

13. A frame adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle, a trough mounted across the front of the frame, a pair of cutaway screw conveyors rotatably mounted in said trough, paddles mounted .coa-Xially with said conveyors, conveyors mounted on the sides of sald frame adapted to receive ma.- terial-ejected from said trough by said paddles, and to discharge said material towards the rear of the vehicle, and a transverse conveyor at the rear of the frame adapted to receive said material and to discharge it at either side of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub scribed my name.

VAN P. MILLER. 

